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DeltaPlex Arena facts for kids

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The DeltaPlex Arena & Conference Center
The DeltaPlex
DeltaPlex Arena logo.jpg
Deltaplex.JPG
Full name DeltaPlex Arena & Conference Center
Former names
  • Grand Rapids Stadium
  • Stadium Arena
  • Turner Arena
Address 2500 Turner Avenue
Location Walker, Michigan
Coordinates 43°0′31″N 85°40′54″W / 43.00861°N 85.68167°W / 43.00861; -85.68167
Owner Visser Brothers, Inc.
Capacity Basketball: 5,000
Concerts: 7,000
Opened 1998
Closed July 31, 2022
Tenants
  • Grand Rapids Rockets (IHL) (1952–1956)
  • Grand Rapids Owls (IHL) (1977–1980)
  • Grand Rapids Bearcats/Rockets (NAHL) (1998–2000)
  • Grand Rapids Hoops (CBA) (2001–2003)
  • Grand Rapids Flight (IBL) (2008)
  • West Michigan ThunderHawks (IFL) (2010)
  • Grand Rapids Drive/Gold (NBAGL) (2014–2022)
  • Grand Rapids Wanderers (M3) (2020-2022)

The DeltaPlex Arena & Conference Center was a large building in Walker, Michigan. It was a place where many different events happened. People knew it as the DeltaPlex. It used to be called the Stadium Arena and Grand Rapids Stadium.

This arena was home to sports teams like the Grand Rapids Gold basketball team. They played in the NBA G League. The Grand Rapids Wanderers soccer team also played there. The DeltaPlex was built in 1952. It was updated and renamed in 1998. It hosted sports, concerts, and big shows. The building closed on July 31, 2022. It is now being changed into a warehouse.

The DeltaPlex: A Look Back

The DeltaPlex Arena was a very important place for entertainment in the Grand Rapids area. It had a long history. Many people visited it over the years.

Early Days of the Stadium Arena

The building first opened in 1952. It was called the Stadium Arena back then. It had a special arched roof. This roof was held up by wooden supports. It was a unique design.

The arena hosted many different things. It was home to hockey teams like the Grand Rapids Rockets. Later, the Grand Rapids Owls played there. In the 1960s, it even became a department store. For a short time, it was a drive-in movie theater.

Becoming the DeltaPlex

For many years, the Stadium Arena was the main place for indoor fun. This changed when the Van Andel Arena opened in 1996. In the mid-1990s, a family bought the old Stadium Arena. They worked hard to fix it up. They made it new and modern.

After all the renovations, the building got a new name. It became the DeltaPlex Arena & Conference Center in 1998. It was ready for new events.

Sports and Events at the DeltaPlex

The DeltaPlex hosted many exciting sports teams. The Grand Rapids Flight basketball team played there in 2008. In 2010, the West Michigan ThunderHawks played indoor football there.

One of its most famous teams was the Grand Rapids Gold. They were a basketball team linked to the Denver Nuggets. They played in the NBA G League. Many fans came to watch their games.

The DeltaPlex Closes Its Doors

On April 27, 2022, it was announced that the DeltaPlex would close. Its last day was July 31, 2022. The building was sold to a company called Visser Brothers Inc. They are changing it into a warehouse. This means the DeltaPlex is no longer an arena.

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